Browse Forums Building A New House Re: Anyone building with Homebuyers Centre in VICTORIA? 1041Apr 23, 2014 7:23 pm Hi Gaviscon Girl. Congrats on your site start for next Monday!! Yep that water bill sounds right. My first one was $20 then the next one was closer to $200 and that was mostly levies and fees, only about $20 in usage! Build Permit-17/12/13 Earthworks-13/1/14 Slab-30/1/14 Frame-10/2/14 Lock Up-7/3/14 Fixing Stage Complete-20/3/14 New Home Presentation-6/5/14 Moved in 17/5/14! Blog: http://dandesbuild.blogspot.com.au Re: Anyone building with Homebuyers Centre in VICTORIA? 1042Apr 23, 2014 10:26 pm Hi Everyone, Armanda and I are building with Homebuyers Centre in Mernda (fairview). We chose the Metro 17 but after seeing one getting built we changed our minds and went with the Cove 20 for the extra room. We have signed the PWC for the change in design but waiting until the 8th for the colour selection but we already know the colours we are going with from the walk around as the pre selected range wasn't to our fitting. We ended having to pay 17k for site costings which I still feel for a flat black (300mm slope) is crazy over priced but hope it does come down when they do the soil tests. Been loving every ones posts and looking forward for ours to start. Re: Anyone building with Homebuyers Centre in VICTORIA? 1043Apr 24, 2014 10:26 am Hi Pooks, Did you stick with Coffee Oak as your flooring choice? The colour looks quite different on your blog pics compared to the brochure on the UTF website. Cheers. Land Titled - 13/6/2014 Site Start - 13/8/2014 Slab Stage - 4/9/2014 Frame Stage - 25/9/2014 Lock Up Stage - 2/10/2014 Fixing Stage - 23/10/2014 PCI - 2/12/2014 Homebuyers Centre - Monarch26 Re: Anyone building with Homebuyers Centre in VICTORIA? 1044Apr 24, 2014 2:59 pm Hi Ashman25! I thought the same thing about how different they look but we stuck with Coffee Oak. My photos are a bit dark though because my phone flash doesn't work so I would say it's a bit lighter than my photos suggest. I love the colour! Build Permit-17/12/13 Earthworks-13/1/14 Slab-30/1/14 Frame-10/2/14 Lock Up-7/3/14 Fixing Stage Complete-20/3/14 New Home Presentation-6/5/14 Moved in 17/5/14! Blog: http://dandesbuild.blogspot.com.au Re: Anyone building with Homebuyers Centre in VICTORIA? 1045Apr 24, 2014 6:32 pm Hi all, Got a question I have been worrying about, does anyone know if you get to choose the direction of the wood grain on flooring and cupboards? Cheers Jason Re: Anyone building with Homebuyers Centre in VICTORIA? 1046Apr 24, 2014 6:56 pm Hi Apparition! Welcome to the forum! No, we didn't have to choose what direction the floors and grains were going in...I would say that one is out of the buyers hands. We chose whether our cupboard handles would go vertical or horizontal but on that subject that was about it. Build Permit-17/12/13 Earthworks-13/1/14 Slab-30/1/14 Frame-10/2/14 Lock Up-7/3/14 Fixing Stage Complete-20/3/14 New Home Presentation-6/5/14 Moved in 17/5/14! Blog: http://dandesbuild.blogspot.com.au Re: Anyone building with Homebuyers Centre in VICTORIA? 1047Apr 24, 2014 7:36 pm Thanks for the reply Pooks83, that is worrying as I can't stand wood grain that is not up and down for some reason. Might change the colour I was going to go with to a solid colour. Re: Anyone building with Homebuyers Centre in VICTORIA? 1048Apr 24, 2014 8:19 pm Welcome to the board Apparition Our brickies are doing a fantastic job. Very clean. I've been told they will finish up this week. Plasterer is booked for next week. Is lock up bricks and plaster? Or just bricks? Re: Anyone building with Homebuyers Centre in VICTORIA? 1049Apr 24, 2014 9:38 pm Bricks and plaster Niccles...although you might find that they put the plaster up while the bricks are finishing. It only took our guys 2 days for plaster. Yay! We had our Practical Completion Inspection today. All went well. I took my phone charger and tested every power point, all good. Found a few paint touch ups and that door frame is being fixed. It was good that it had been raining because we saw that our lounge room windows had leaks! It's just the outside seals though which they were fixing today. The garden has been started on, the letterbox is in and I love it and the driveway is done! We have booked the paths guy in for a quote after hours next Tuesday and did a spot of shopping today- new fridge, vacuum and clothesline! Build Permit-17/12/13 Earthworks-13/1/14 Slab-30/1/14 Frame-10/2/14 Lock Up-7/3/14 Fixing Stage Complete-20/3/14 New Home Presentation-6/5/14 Moved in 17/5/14! Blog: http://dandesbuild.blogspot.com.au Re: Anyone building with Homebuyers Centre in VICTORIA? 1050Apr 25, 2014 9:43 am Hey Pooks - I'm thinking about getting paths around the house, like you. How much are you expecting it to cost? 19.03.14 - Land Settlement 15.04.14 - Building Permit 28.04.14 - Earthworks 14.05.14 - Slab Stage 20.05.14 - Frame Stage 11.06.14 - Lock Up Stage 03.07.14 - Fix Stage 15.08.14 - New Home Presentation Re: Anyone building with Homebuyers Centre in VICTORIA? 1051Apr 25, 2014 10:28 am Hi Gaviscon Girl, I have no idea! But I will let you know after Tuesday night. We are getting coloured concrete paths (same colour as the driveway). Homebuyers will let you use their concrete guys after handover so you go through them direct. I thought that would be better because then they can match the colour exactly and I know they are legit! Build Permit-17/12/13 Earthworks-13/1/14 Slab-30/1/14 Frame-10/2/14 Lock Up-7/3/14 Fixing Stage Complete-20/3/14 New Home Presentation-6/5/14 Moved in 17/5/14! Blog: http://dandesbuild.blogspot.com.au Re: Anyone building with Homebuyers Centre in VICTORIA? 1052Apr 25, 2014 10:49 am Thanks Pooks - Let us know. I'm very keen, seeing our soil class isn't that great. Cheers! 19.03.14 - Land Settlement 15.04.14 - Building Permit 28.04.14 - Earthworks 14.05.14 - Slab Stage 20.05.14 - Frame Stage 11.06.14 - Lock Up Stage 03.07.14 - Fix Stage 15.08.14 - New Home Presentation Re: Anyone building with Homebuyers Centre in VICTORIA? 1053Apr 25, 2014 11:06 am Two days for plaster? Wow. We will be at lock up before we know it. Glad to hear your PCI went well, Pooks. Have they given you an idea on when you'll get the keys? Re: Anyone building with Homebuyers Centre in VICTORIA? 1054Apr 25, 2014 11:18 am Hi Niccles. We have been told that we should get keys around 15th May because after the splash back goes in (2nd May) we check it and sign off (6th May) then the bank will take about a week to send the valuer out and clear the final payment. Build Permit-17/12/13 Earthworks-13/1/14 Slab-30/1/14 Frame-10/2/14 Lock Up-7/3/14 Fixing Stage Complete-20/3/14 New Home Presentation-6/5/14 Moved in 17/5/14! Blog: http://dandesbuild.blogspot.com.au Re: Anyone building with Homebuyers Centre in VICTORIA? 1055Apr 25, 2014 5:08 pm Where do you find out what class your soil is? Would love to know what class the soil is in the Fairview estate in Mernda as maybe this is why our site costs are 17k Re: Anyone building with Homebuyers Centre in VICTORIA? 1056Apr 25, 2014 5:42 pm Hi Apparition, you will get the soil report sent you with your final plans. Well....I am sad to report that I dislike my landscaping I didn't expect much and it's not actually the design it's the fact that the plans weren't followed. The landscaping plan showed the strip of garden next to the driveway should be against the boundary of our site (which is normal so your neighbours garden/lawn can be up against it...but they have lined out the strip in line with the side of our garage- which is not the boundary...so I assume that means there will be a strip of dirt that's ours next to it before the neighbours garden begins! (Hard to explain). Then there are the taps with lawn all around them. It says on our plans the taps must be hidden by plants- they aren't. Then their is the engineering report that came with the soil report that says we can't have lawn up to our house wall due to the moisture- you guessed it! It's up to the house wall. Finally- the tradies have broken and dented our meter box door. So I guess I will speak to our SS on Monday. Re: Anyone building with Homebuyers Centre in VICTORIA? 1057Apr 25, 2014 7:49 pm oh no pooks that sucks! I'm glad we aren't getting landscaping after hearing that! Well we went for a site meeting on Wednesday and so far everything is going relatively to plan! Hard floors were going in on Wednesday while we were there and we went back for a squiz today and they look fantastic! All our bath and vanities are in with running water, kitchen sink isn't though cos our benchtops have been held up vanity mirrors are in, shower screens, all electrical... Front door is stained and garage door is on. Temp fencing is down, and fly screens are in. Yet to be completed - carpets were supposed to be thurs along with blinds but it looks like neither happened benchtops and measure up for glass splashback then the splashback has to be installed, a cornice has to be replaced cos someone put a whole in it from inside the roof... And driveway goes in next week... Final clean is booked for next Friday so hopefully that happens, then we are looking at roughly the 12th May for our PCI!! Very exciting!! Did some shopping last week - new fridge and washing machine (JB home having 50 months interest free atm), plus a whole heap of random things from ikea... Threw out 2 more bags of clothes today and a bag of shoes (some in boxes!)... Not getting rid of as much stuff as I'd like to, just need to be more cut throat!!, would love to just pick up and leave all our crap behind and start again!! Congrats to all the ppl who's houses are starting to come along!! Enjoy the journey!! Building Abode 22 Cranbourne West Contract Signing 30/10/13 Land titled 31/10/13 Settlement on land due 20/11/13 Formal Approval 14/11/13 Re: Anyone building with Homebuyers Centre in VICTORIA? 1058Apr 25, 2014 9:32 pm Hi Pooks - Sorry to hear of your disappointment with the landscaping. When I got the soil report, I saw the part about the garden being right up to the house. I called HBC straight away and she said she was working with the landscaping company for alternative plans for P Class soils. She sent me three different ones to choose from, which I did. I'm hoping it will turn out nicely. The taps are a real eyesore. Maybe I can talk to the landscapers before they start and get some kind of plant to hide them. 19.03.14 - Land Settlement 15.04.14 - Building Permit 28.04.14 - Earthworks 14.05.14 - Slab Stage 20.05.14 - Frame Stage 11.06.14 - Lock Up Stage 03.07.14 - Fix Stage 15.08.14 - New Home Presentation Re: Anyone building with Homebuyers Centre in VICTORIA? 1059Apr 26, 2014 8:21 am Thanks Gaviscon Girl, I did the exact same thing- called HBC, chose from alternative plans because of the soil report...I guess that's why I'm a bit disheartened. Still, there could be worse things! These items are easily fixed Re: Anyone building with Homebuyers Centre in VICTORIA? 1060Apr 26, 2014 9:44 am Sorry to hear that Pooks Did anyone have any problems with their plan in terms of after signing off on your contract were your alterations in the position you expected? If so were you able to get them changed or were you stuck with them? Going in to sign the contract on Monday and am a little nervous that we are signing off on plans we haven't really seen. The changes are written in but it still makes me nervous that I can't see what I am getting before signing off. Land Titled - 13/6/2014 Site Start - 13/8/2014 Slab Stage - 4/9/2014 Frame Stage - 25/9/2014 Lock Up Stage - 2/10/2014 Fixing Stage - 23/10/2014 PCI - 2/12/2014 Homebuyers Centre - Monarch26 I havent, and i havent looked to much into it, but on face value its not the saviour its trying to make out to be. Shared equity in your home is never a good idea. The… 1 3973 Hi, have purchased a house with 2 single garage doors. The Centre pillar one side sits proud to the other. Can I change 2 doors into one. Please see picture. 0 6350 For reference, this is the Austlii reference. My take on this is, that they would be breaking the law denying access to a homeowner in Victoria, or their agent from having… 1 9094 |